February 2010

Happy February!  Here are somethings that made me smile this month.

1. The Baby

Our baby is growing strong.  I am 6 months pregnant and they estimate that she is 2 pounds in weight!  It is so fun to have her kicking all the time.  On the ultra sound they were able to tell that her toes are like mine!  Her second toe is longer than her big toe.

2.  The Belly
Some people have asked to see a picture of my belly, so here it is. It is strange to have your body change so much so quickly! 

  


3.  Don't tell my Grandma!

As a child, anytime my mom would estimate instead of being exact with a measurement while baking she would always say "Don't tell Grandma Bucher!"  This is because I come from a long tradition of baking and cooking.  My Grandma is precise in measurements, and her wonderful baking and cooking demonstrates the wisdom of that.   

Carrying on with tradition, I normally like to bake from scratch.  But with the pregnancy I am learning the importance of simplifying when needed.  

I highly recommend  Duncan Hines whole grain muffins.  I've been staying away from mixes because I'm trying to stay away from white flour.  But these are amazing.   I've made the blueberry and the chocolate muffins.  The chocolate muffins are almost like brownies!

4. My "Cry" Book

Pregnancy has definitely made me more emotional, so crying can often be from a happy place.  Whenever I get out this book from the library that has pictures of what the baby looks like every day of the pregnancy, I inevitably cry.  I'm such a visual person and this book has helped me to try to comprehend the amazing things that are happening inside of me.  God is an awesome designer!  This book has brought back memories of when my mom was pregnant with my brothers.  She had a book with pictures about the stages a baby goes through in the womb.  I think it really helped me to connect to what was happening, and have an awe at an early age for the birth process. 
 
5.  The Bible
 This month I have been so thankful for the wisdom that the Bible has provided for my life.  Everything in my life that I enjoy comes from God blessing me and from the wisdom and the guidance that the Bible provides.  I know that I couldn't have figured out how to have such a good life on my own!

"The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7
 
6.  Jane Austen

The funny thing about being a Jane Austen fan is that I never tire of seeing different adaptations of her books!  I watch, knowing what is going to happen in the plot.  Instead, I am excited to see how characters are portrayed, or what the outfits look like!  Masterpiece Theater did a new Emma.  They have it available to watch online for another week.  
Watch Emma Online Here


7.  Cooking
Last month I learned the lesson of checking over a recipe before you post.  Leaving out 2 cups of water in the ingredients last month will be noticed when making a rice dish!

This month's recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, "The Healthy Kitchen" by Andrew Weil and  Rosie Daley.  I've had fun learning how to make homemade granola.  It is so easy to adapt to your own personal taste, which is what I have done with this recipe.  

Note on the picture:  It is difficult to make granola look appetizing in a picture!

Granola
2 Tablespoons oil (I use grapeseed oil)
1/2 cup honey 
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 Tablespoon wheat germ
1/2 cup pecans (or your favorite nut)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Mix ingredients  Spread on a greased baking pan with a rim.  Bake 20 minutes.  Stir half way through while it is baking.  Let it cool before storing in an air tight container or in a bag.

8.  Gardening

These Pinwheel zinnias are going to grow around my tomato plants this summer.  The are supposed to be really easy to start from seed.